another year older

b2010_0508COtrailWilliamsport0087Today was my birt day. Brett and I are spending the weekend in Hagerstown, Maryland visiting our friend Aaron. We had decided to take a spring weekend trip to celebrate the occasion. The weather was perfect today, sunny and 75.

b2010_0508COtrailWilliamsport0136 We are cycling the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail that follows the Potomac River from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington D.C. Today we cycled the trail from Williamsport, a canal era town similar to Canal Fulton to Fort Frederick, a Civil War fort. It was a very enjoyable ride.

The trail is very similar to the Towpath Trail in Ohio. This section is pretty remote. We saw only a handful of houses and other cyclists along the trail. At about the mid-point, there was a large campground on the west Virginia side of the Potomac.

b2010_0508COtrailWilliamsport0109 The highlight of the ride was dam 5 on the Potomac. Approaching the dam you could hear a roar. I thought it was a train or freeway traffic. I was surprised when I rounded a trail bend to be treated to a long dam with water flowing fast over the spillway. It was very scenic spot that was perfect for photo ops.

b2010_0508COtrailWilliamsport0078 About 6 miles farther north was Fort Frederick. By this time, Aaron’s knees were giving out. He is not a cyclist and 13 miles was very admirable. I had forgotten  the rule that you need to turn just when you are tiring since you have the same distance to cover on the return trip. I volunteered to cycle back to Williamsport while Brett and Aaron waited at Fr. Frederick. I actually enjoyed the ride. I ramped up the speed and made it back to Williamsport in less than an hour.

b2010_0508COtrailWilliamsport0055 I celebrated with a prime rib dinner; something I just don’t do since my lapband surgery. Well, it was my birthday and I was in the celebrating mood. We had a delicious dinner and good time. Tomorrow we are heading out to another section of the trail; most likely around Harper’s Ferry.  It was a wonderful birthday!

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